Valved fluid couplings are utilized to control fluid flow circuits having coupling components which may be readily separated. Such couplings are often used in refueling systems for military and industrial applications and valved couplings are known having valve components automatically operated by interconnection of the coupling parts. If low fluid flow pressure loss and high flow rate is of importance valved couplings may utilize ball valves rotatable between fully open and closed positions by a 90.degree. rotation of the ball valve. The ball valve operation may be manually controlled, or automatically regulated as operated by springs or the like. Examples of ball valve couplings are shown in the assignee's U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,643,216 and 4,884,591. It is also known to provide ball valve couplings operated by manual handles with interlocking structure whereby the valves cannot be inadvertently opened or closed until the coupling parts are properly connected or disconnected, and an example of such ball valve couplings are shown in the assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,779.
When interconnecting coupling parts with an axial movement between the parts it is well known to utilize radially movable detents in the female coupling connection end for being received within an annular groove defined in the male coupling adapter. Such detents are radially positionable and maintainable by an axially displaceable locking sleeve mounted upon the female coupling part, and a cam surface and a retaining surface formed on the locking sleeve locates the detents in the desired radial position depending upon the axial location of the sleeve. Usually, a spring biases the locking sleeve toward the detent retaining or locking condition.
Heretofore, to the inventors' knowledge, a high flow rate coupling utilizing an axially displaceable locking sleeve has not been available wherein manual operation of the valve to rotate the valve from the open condition to the closed condition has been interlocked in conjunction with a sleeve operation, and it is an object of the invention to provide a low flow restrictive coupling having a manually operated valve wherein the coupling parts are interconnected by an axially displaceable locking sleeve and shifting of the locking sleeve from the coupling connection position to the release position is prevented until the coupling valve is closed.
Another object of the invention is to provide a high flow rate valved coupling of the "dry break" type wherein minimal loss of fluid occurs when the coupling parts are separated, and yet, the coupling parts are maintained in interconnection by an axially displaceable locking sleeve which may only be released when the valved coupling valve is closed.
A further object of the invention is to provide a dry break valved coupling of low fluid flow restriction and pressure loss in a coupling using an axially displaceable locking sleeve, and an interlock exists between the coupling valve operator and the locking sleeve preventing release of the locking sleeve until the valve operator is in the closed position.
A further object of the invention is to provide a dry break coupling having an electric switch mounted upon the exterior of the coupling body which is capable of gloved actuation and dependable operation to control the pump supplying the coupling with pressurized fluid.
In the practice of the invention the coupling female body part includes a passage having a ball valve rotatable therein between 90.degree. positions. One position of the ball valve aligns the diametrical passage of the valve with the associated coupling passage permitting relatively unrestricted fluid flow therethrough, and the closed position of the valve locates the valve passage at right angles to the coupling passage to terminate fluid flow. Appropriate seals are interposed between the coupling body and ball valve to render the assembly fluid tight.
The female coupling part includes a male adapter receiving recess adjacent the ball valve, and radially displaceable detents mounted within the recess engage with an annular groove defined upon the male adapter under the control of an axially displaceable locking sleeve mounted upon the female coupling body.
The locking sleeve includes conical cam and cylindrical detent retaining surfaces and depending upon the axial position of the locking sleeve the detents will be selectively radially displaceable to permit interconnection and release of the adapter relative to the female coupling part, or the detents will be inwardly retained to prevent disconnection of the male adapter from the coupling part.
The ball valve is operated by an exterior handle located adjacent the female coupling part body, and the handle includes a pivotally mounted keeper adapted to selectively associate with notches defined on the coupling body wherein the valve handle may be positively maintained in a valve open or close position. The valve operating handle also includes a locking sleeve interference abutment surface substantially concentrically located relative to the handle operating axis of rotation, and the abutment is located in an interfering relationship with the locking sleeve when the valve is open preventing the locking sleeve from being axially displaced from the adapter locked position to the adapter release position until the valve handle has been fully rotated to the valve closed condition. The use of the actuating handle abutment prevents the adapter from being released from the female coupling part until flow through the coupling part has been terminated, and this interlock, in conjunction with the "dry break" characteristics derived from the use of a ball valve, eliminates the likelihood of spillage which has significant environmental and safety advantages, particularly when handling inflammable and/or toxic fluids.
An electric switch is mounted upon the exterior surface of the female coupling part between a pair of protective spaced flanges which reduce the likelihood of inadvertent switch actuation. The flanges are spaced sufficiently apart to permit a gloved thumb to pivot the switch handle between operative positions, and a spring contact mounted upon the switch handle selectively receives an enlarged head defined upon a terminal stud located on the female conduit body and extending into the body passage.
The switch contact is resilient enough to pass over the head of the terminal stud to locate and retain the switch in the circuit closed position, and the switch provides a positive movement between open and closed positions. An electrical conductor wire attached to the terminal stud may pass through the hose associated with the coupling to initiate pump operation, and the switch construction provides dependable electric circuit operation in a manner as to be positively sensed by the operator. A spring pivots the switch handle toward the normal open position and also defines the spring contact and the electrical connection between the spring contact and the coupling body to assure a grounding circuit.